Railway car construction



Sept. 7, 1943. J. 5. SWANN RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 20. 1942 2 Sheet'S-Sheet 1 [yam/W Jdfildi 5611/4/02 Sept. 7, 1943. .1. s. SWANN RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION Filed April 20, 1942 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Q G O Patented Sept. 7, 1943 RAILWAY CAR CONSTRUCTION James S. Swann, Homewood, 111., assignor to Standard Railway Equipment Manufacturing Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Delaware Application April 20, 1942, Serial No. 439,625

11 Claims.

The invention relates to railway cars and more particularly to end walls for railway cars. A common type of end wall is comprised 01' a metallic plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations preferably proportioned to give a great amount of resilience to the wall in order to absorb the shocks of a shifting load which occur during service movements of the car. My improvement relates to the application of such an end to gondola and other unlined cars.

Recent improvements in corrugated ends have embodied the provision of hollow corner posts wherein parts of such posts are comprised of integral flanges on the end wall plate formed on curves of relatively large radius. The cormgations preferably terminate and merge into-the curved parts of the flanges. A typical application of such a corner post to a box car is shown in patent to Jumper, et al. No. 2,185,168, December 26, 1939. Many thousands of cars have been constructed according to the design shown in such patent and have given very satisfactory service.

It is pointed out with. reference to the above mentioned patent that the side and end linings are spaced inwardly from the side wall sheathing and from the end wall plate, respectively, and cooperate to form a rectangular lading compartment. Removal of the lining, however, provides a lading compartment wherein the hollow corner posts project into the compartment and create an irregular and undesirable contour, thereby restricting either the overall length or overall width available for lading.

An object of the invention is to provide an end wall and corner posts which embody the advantages of the large radius flange and hollow post, as pointed 'out above, and which at the same time do not encroach upon the space available for lading.

Another object is to provide a large radius flange and hollow post without either decreasing the length of the lading compartment or increasing the length of the underframe and upper chords required.

A further object is to provide means to prevent the escape of bulk commodities through the .openings formed by the corner post member and the outwardly projecting corrugations in the end wall plate.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following detailed description by referring to the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of a railway car embodying my invention.

Fig. 2 is a transverse section through the end wall as indicated by line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a partial side elevation of the car shown in Fig. 1.

Figs. 4 and 5 are plan sections on lines 4-4 and 5-5, respectively, of Fig. 1.

Figs. 6 and 7 are views showing modified corner post constructions.

The usual parts of a railway car are shown in the drawings, including center sill 2; striking casting 3; side sills 5; end sill 6; side chords 8; end chord 9, and side sheathing II. The corner post members I2 are substantially vertical and are secured at their upper and lower ends to the chords 8-8 and sills 5-6, respectively. Gusset plates I4 connect the ends of the side (8) and end (9) chords at the corners of the car and a wooden floor 15 is supported by the inwardly projecting horizontal legs I! of the side sills 5.

The lading compartment of a car of this type, to have a maximum usefulness, should have a substantially rectangular plan. The effective and of the lading compartment in the car illustrated is a vertical plane 28 which passes through the upstanding leg 2| of the end sill 6 and the depending leg 23 of the end chord 9. The end wall plate 24 has inwardly offset upper (25) and lower (26) marginal portions disposed substantially in the plane 28 and secured to the legs 21-23. The basic plane 28 of the end wall plate 24 is indicated by the portions 28 offset outwardly from the plane 20 which defines the end of the lading compartment. The end wall plate 24 is provided with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations projecting alternately inwardly and outwardly with reference to the basic plane 28. The apices 3! of the inwardly projecting corrugations 32 have center portions 34 disposed substantially in the plane 20 and end portions 35 which diverge outwardly from the plane 20 toward the basic plane 28 of the end wall plate 24. The outwardly projecting corrugations 31 are relatively shallow and have apices 38 which converge toward the basic plane 28.

Inwardly projecting minor corrugations 48 spring from the plate 24 between the inwardly projecting corrugations 32 and taper at their ends toward the basic plane 28. The vertical margins of theend wall plate 24 are provided with flanges 43 formed on curves of relatively large radius so that the ends of the corrugations 32-31-48 extend at least partially around the comer of the car and purge into the flanges 43.

Corner post members 44 are-disposed substantially in their entirety between the plane and the diverging end portions 35 of the inwardly projecting corrugations 32. Each corner post member 44 is generally W-shaped and has arms 48-49 disposed respectively parallel with and normal to the plane or the end wall. The arms 48 which are disposed parallel with the plane of the end wall are disposed substantially in the plane 20 which defines the end of the lading compartment. The arms 48-49 are provided with flanges 5l-52 secured respectively to the flanges 43 and to the body part oi the end wall plate 24 to form hollow corner posts 54. The upper and lower parts of the arms 49 and flanges 52 are coped (55) adjacent the inwardly oflset marginal portions --28 of the end wall plate 24 and the coped parts (55) of the post members 44 are preferably welded'to the inclined portions 51 and marginal portions 2525 of the end wall plate 24.

It is necessary to provide means to prevent escape of bulk lading through the openings defined by the normal arms 49 of the corner post members 44 and the corrugated parts 01' the end wall plate 24. As shown in Figs. 4 and 5, blocks 60 of wood, rubber or other suitable material may be inserted to close such openings. In the modiflcation shown in Fig. 6 the flange 6| is corrugated to nest in and tightly flt the corrugations oi the end wall plate and thereby prevent escape of lading. In the modification shown in Fig. 7 the flange is omitted and the normal arm 63 of the comer post member 84 is serrated to fit within the corrugations and is preferably welded thereto.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred form of the inventiomthough it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the exact details of construction shown. and described, as it is obvious that various modifications thereof, within the scope of the claims, will occur to persons skilled in the art.

I claim:

1. In a railway car having spaced side walls; an end wall plate formed with a plurality oi. substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardlyof the car, the inwardly projections having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said'end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, corner post members projecting inwardly from said side walls and disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate, and means to secure said corner post member to said side walls and end wall plate respectively.

2. In arailway car having spaced side walls; an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardly of the car, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, corner post members projecting inwardly from said side walls and disposed substantially intheir entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, and means to secure said comer post members to. said side walls and end wall plate respectively.

3. In a railway car having spaced side walls,

an end wall plate-provided with inwardly projecting substantially horizontal stifleners having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, corner post members projecting inwardly from said side walls and disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate, and means to secure said comer postmember to said side walls and end wall plate respectively.

4. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some 01 which project inwardly oi the car, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around said flanges, corner post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, said members each comprising angularly disposed arms, and means to secure said arms to said end wall plate to form hollow corner posts.

5. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some 01' which project inwardly or the car, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the central portions 01' which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around said flanges/comer post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts or said flanges, 'said members each comprising angularly disposed arms, means to secure certain of said arms to the flanges of said plate, and means to secure others of said arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts.

6. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal inwardly and outwardly projecting corrugations, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions oi. which diverge outwardy from said plane, the ends-of said corrugations extending around said flanges, comer post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts or said flanges, said members each comprising angularly disposed arms, means to secure certain of said arms to the flanges 01' said plate, and means to secure others of said arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts.

7. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car,s aid plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardly of the car, the inwardly comprising angularly disposed arms disposed reprojecting corrugations having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around and merging into said flanges, corner post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, said members each comprising angularly disposed arms,

means to secure certain of said arms to the flanges of said plate, and means to secure others of said arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts.

8. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardly of the car, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the

central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around said flanges, corner post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, said members each comprising angularly disposed arms disposed respectively parallel with and normal to said plane, means to secure said parallel arms to the flanges of said plate, and means to secure said normal arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts.

9. In a railway car, an end wall plate formed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardly of the car, the in-- spectively parallel with and normal to said plane, means to secure said parallel arms to the flanges of said plate, and means to secure said normal arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts, said normal arms formed to nest in said corrugations to prevent escape of lading from the interior of the car.

10. In a railway car, an end wall plateformed on its opposite vertical margins with large radius flanges concave toward the interior of the car, said plate formed with a plurality of substantially horizontal corrugations, at least some of which project inwardly of the car, the inwardly projecting corrugations having apices, the central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardly from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around said flanges, corner post members disposed substantially in their entirety between said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, said members each comprising angularly disposed arms disposed respectively parallel with and normal to said plane, means to secure said parallel arms to the flanges of said plate, means to secure said normal arms to the body part of said plate to form hollow corner posts, and means inserted between said members and certain of said corrugations to prevent escape of lading from the interior of the car.

11. In a railway car, spaced side walls; an end wall plate provided with inwardly projecting vertical flanges each formed on a relatively large radius and. secured to one of said side walls, said end wall plate formed with a plurality of inwardly projecting horizontal corrugations, the

apices of the central portions of said corrugawardly projecting corrugations having apices, the

central portions of which are disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall and the end portions of which diverge outwardy from said plane, the ends of said corrugations extending around said flanges, cornen post members disposed substantially in their entirety between i said plane and said plate and facing the concave parts of said flanges, said members each tions being disposed in a plane substantially parallel with said end wall plate and the opposite end portions of said corrugations decreasing in depth and merging into the radii of said flanges; corner post members projecting inwardly from said side walls which are disposedsubstantially in their entirety between said plane and said end wall plate, and means to secure said corner post members to said side walls and end wall plate respectively.

JAMES S. SWANN. 

